In the past, it has not been possible to accurately locate electrostatic discharges even though it is important to accurately locate the site of electrostatic discharges that occur in systems or materials that are sensitive to electrostatic discharges. Sensitive electrostatic discharges that need to be identified involve systems that include missile systems that can be damaged by electrostatic discharges and propellants that can be inadvertently detonated by an electrostatic discharge event. These events are electrostatic arcs that are caused by charge separations. The charges may become separated by friction, propellant separation, or by induction fields in voids. These events generally occur subsurface and are not detectable optically. The fact that an event has occurred can be detected electrically, but to locate it electrically requires a very dense grid of sensors which is cost prohibitive, difficult to use and perturb the charge distribution to be monitored. Thus, it can be readily appreciated that a need exists for a relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and accurate way to detect and locate electrostatic discharge events.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to supply a method by which an electrostatic discharge event can be detected and located.
Another object of this invention is to utilize an electromagnetic method for detecting the event and an acoustic method for producing information from which the site of the electrostatic discharge can be located.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a method that utilizes means that are readily available, relatively simple, relatively inexpensive and have the ability to provide sufficient information to accurately locate an electrostatic discharge event.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in this art.